My Two Day Work Experience at the office of Music as Therapy International

Being a Year 12 student studying my A Levels and enjoying life with little responsibilities, I begin to find myself at the crossroad in my life as I am made to decide between studying music or medicine at university.

My name is Melissa and I first came across the field of music therapy through a quick Google search, attempting to list out all the possible career options for my future. Music therapy caught my attention immediately as it involved a mixture of both music and psychology, two of my largest interests and subjects that I love. I was instantly attracted to the thought of being in a position of using music as a tool, to encourage and promote self-confidence and to develop meaningful relationships for more vulnerable children and adults. I was then introduced to Music as Therapy International through an ‘own clothes’ day in aid of the charity at my school, which inspired me to try and gain some work experience to discover what music therapy really entails, and especially what Alexia’s charity involves.

In order to make the most out of my two day experience, Alexia and her colleagues had carefully planned out tasks for me to have a go at, allowing me to get a glimpse of all aspects of both the charity and music therapy. This included completing admin tasks, watching and discussing short music therapy session footages, and even taking part in a group meeting where future interactive music-making projects in the UK and abroad were discussed of. Through this, I was able to gain a true insight in to music therapy and I couldn’t have had a better experience, especially under such a supporting group of staff. The passion and drive they have shown for this charity has been particularly inspiring.

Music as Therapy International is in no doubt a worthy charity that deserves recognition. As I have learnt in the past two days, the music therapy sessions promoted offer people an opportunity to have fun with music by making use of our innate musical abilities, and most importantly under an environment of trust and acceptance.

It has truly been an amazing two days, finding out more about Music as Therapy International and learning about what really is involved in music therapy. In the near future, I hope to be in a position to contribute to this charity, as I have had the privilege of understanding more deeply how the programmes offered can really make a difference by providing aid to more vulnerable children and adults.

Finally, I would like to wish this incredible charity every success and to thank all the staff for this fantastic opportunity.